League: Takahiwai, Horahora Broncos make winning start to championship round

Otangarei Knights player Sua Sosopo (with ball) hits the Takahiwai defensive line with force. Photo / Ngareka Bensemann

Both Takahiwai and the Horahora Broncos started Northland's premier rugby league championship round in style, earning wins over the Otangarei Knights and the Portland Panthers respectively.

Horahora's 46-14 against Portland on Friday in Hikurangi marked the first game of the competition's second round after Takahiwai took out the first five-game round without losing a game.

Takahiwai carried on their winning form with a 70-12 win over last year's champions, the Knights, at Takahiwai on Saturday. Leading 28-6 at the halftime break, the hosts piled on the points to register a convincing victory.

"I was pretty pleased with the boys' effort, everything we did at training during the week, we took the game," Takahiwai coach Hori Tuhoro said.

"It was a really good performance from Otangarei, especially in the first half, they put our boys under a lot of pressure and we were pretty fatigued."

Takahiwai fullback Eroni Biukoto (left) tries to get on the outside of Otangarei Knights player Andrew Davison. Photo / Ngareka Bensemann

He said Takahiwai fullback Eroni Biukoto was dynamic in the backline, sparking a lot of his side's attack and scoring three tries himself.

"[Biukoto] was good at pretty much everything, he's made that position his own by using his speed really well."

Tuhoro said his team couldn't get complacent off the back of these results and said they would be taking the competition one step at a time.

"We've just been sticking to the game plan and everybody sharing the workload, but we need to make sure we stay consistent and don't get too complacent, we still need to respect the opposition.

"We are just taking it one game at a time and not getting ahead of ourselves because the other teams are only going to get stronger and fitter so we need to be ready."

In the next round, on Saturday at 2.30pm, the Northern Wairoa Bulls take on Horahora at Horahora and Portland take on Takahiwai at Portland. Otangarei have the bye.